Written Answers

Friday 10 November 2000

Scottish Executive

Best Value

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Best Value reviews in local government are introduced as a means to deliver financial savings or as a means to consider the needs of local communities and their expressed views about services.

Peter Peacock: Best Value is central to the Executive’s drive to modernise local government. Best Value is about ways of working which improve local authority service delivery. These include linking budgets and other resources to key service priorities, ensuring that decision-makers receive full and accurate information about service performance, and seeking out benchmarking partners.

  The long-term aim is to achieve the quality and range of services local residents and businesses want at prices they can afford. Best Value reviews should include mechanisms for consultation with customers and council tax payers, and for being open about performance outcomes in priority services.

  In better aligning demand for and supply of services, we expect Best Value to be a useful tool in establishing where funds are being applied to little effect and could be better recycled within the authority. The Executive’s consultation paper, Best Value in Local Government: Next Steps, suggests that councils’ plans should include an estimation of the resources they intend to release and redistribute through implementation of Best Value. The paper suggests a floor target for this of 2% of total budgets each year.

Best Value

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a definition of Best Value to be used in forthcoming legislation.

Peter Peacock: The Executive’s consultation paper, Best Value in Local Government: Next Steps , published in June 2000, invited views on the development of a long-term legislative framework for Best Value in Local Government. This includes the development of a legislative definition for Best Value.

  The closing date for responses to the consultation paper was October 20. Ministers will outline their intentions by the end of the year.

Best Value

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure the common application of Best Value across the public sector.

Angus Mackay: The Executive has committed itself to extending the principles which already underpin Best Value in local government to the wider public sector in Scotland. To that end the then Minister for Finance, Jack McConnell, announced on 20 September our intention to introduce Best Value Reviews covering the main public spending programmes in Scotland and for this process to be overseen by a new Best Value Board. Further details will be announced shortly.

Best Value

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure the co-ordination of the Best Value external scrutiny process.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has established a Joint Scrutiny Forum (JSF) to consider the organisation and implementation of the scrutiny of Best Value in Scottish local authorities.

  The JSF aims to support inspection systems (where relevant) and procedures which co-ordinate the Best Value scrutiny of Scottish local authorities to avoid duplication between Inspectorates, the Accounts Commission and Scottish Executive Departments. The JSF also encourages the development of methods for joint working and robust scrutiny processes to ensure that Best Value is rigorously appraised.

  The members of the JSF are HM Inspectors of Schools, Social Work Services Inspectorate, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, HM Inspectorate of Fire Services, the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate, Scottish Homes, Audit Scotland (for the Accounts Commission for Scotland) and the Scottish Executive Development Department.

  The JSF will meet on a quarterly basis. Further information, including newsletters, can be accessed at the Best Value website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/bestvalue/.

Best Value

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve local authority performance management and planning in relation to Best Value.

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that local authorities link budgets and other resources to key service priorities.

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that key decision makers, including elected members and officials receive full and accurate reports regarding local authority service performance.

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that local authorities seek out local government benchmarking partners.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive is working in partnership with local authorities and others to further develop Best Value in local government.

  The Accounts Commission has recently completed its first audit of Performance Management and Planning (PMP) in local authorities. It found that the majority of services scrutinised were making progress in developing effective PMP systems. The Commission will continue its support of authorities. The Executive and local authorities are also facilitating a number of seminars on PMP and Best Value in particular service areas.

  The Scottish Executive expect that improved PMP and performance information systems in local authorities will assist councillors and service managers in focussing available resources on key service priorities.

  Local authorities publish annual Public Performance Reports (PPR). These reports provide councillors, officials and members of the public with key information about the council’s performance in the different service areas. PPR are a key part of Best Value, showing performance against key indicators. The need for PPR was agreed between the then Secretary of State for Scotland and CoSLA in July 1998, and set out in Scottish Office Development Department circular 5/99. The Best Value Task Force issued guidance on the development of PPR systems in June 1999.

  The Scottish Executive is encouraging local authorities to adopt benchmarking processes as part of their wider development of PMP systems. A number of benchmarking standards are being utilised by authorities.

Dog Identification Working Group

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10065 by Mr Frank McAveety on 9 October 2000, whether it will make available in SPICe a copy of the report of the Dog Identification Working Group.

Peter Peacock: Our consideration of the working group’s report is almost complete and an announcement as to how we intend to proceed, including its availability, will be made in the near future.

Justice

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration the cross-party Parliamentary Working Group on a Diligence Against Moveable Property to Replace Poinding and Warrant Sale will give to the impact of the shape and operation of the Social Fund when considering debt, bank arrestment, poindings and warrant sales.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Cross-Party Parliamentary Working Group on a Diligence Against Moveable Property to Replace Poinding and Warrant Sale is giving due consideration to all matters which are relevant to its work.

Licensing

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to respond to the letter from the editor of Scottish Licensing Law and Practice dated 20 December 1999 raising an anomaly in Scotland in the law governing all cash amusement with prize machines.

Mr Jim Wallace: The issuing of permits for all cash amusement with prizes machines is governed by the Gaming Act 1968. The legislation is reserved and the Scotland Office has been asked to consider the alleged anomaly.

Medical Research

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to liaise with the Medicine Control Agency and the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee to ensure (a) the continuation of the research into solid tumour treatments being conducted by Professor Moira Brown of Glasgow University and (b) that a phase one trial for encolytic virus therapy for mesothelioma is conducted in Scotland.

Susan Deacon: None. However, the Scottish Executive continues to be informed, and to have the opportunity to comment if it so wishes, about the work of the Medicine Control Agency and the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee, both of which are non-devolved bodies whose work includes the approval of research proposals on a UK basis that involve genetic manipulation in terms of human therapy.

  The Scottish Executive is currently funding (to the total value of £253k) two projects on treatments for solid tumours where Professor Moira Brown is one of the researchers: one focuses on melanoma and the other on brain tumours using a mutant herpes simplex virus. Should satisfactory progress be made on these, we would be pleased to consider any further submissions in this area through our funding mechanism which, at present, is largely response mode and subject to peer and committee review. This would also apply to any proposals for research on mesothelioma.

  The results of the research projects into solid tumours, including mesothelioma, undertaken throughout the UK will inform the future direction of research and treatment in this area. Details of all UK projects are available from the National Research Register (NRR), a copy of which is in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

Medical Research

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the research being carried out by Professor Herbie Newell, Professor of Cancer Therapeutics at the Cancer Research Campaign Unit, into the development of a combination of carboplatin and MTA, whether it has any plans to fund independent research in Scotland in this area.

Susan Deacon: The Chief Scientist's Office of the Scottish Executive is largely a response mode funder of research and this role is well advertised throughout the medical and academic community. As such, it has no plans to fund research into the development of a combination of carboplatin and Multitargeted Antifolate LY231514 (MTA), but would be pleased to receive quality research applications in this area. These would be subject to the usual peer group and committee review.

  Cancer remains a health research priority in the Scottish Executive. The total amount of funding made available for cancer research projects which started in the financial year 1999-2000 was £1.4 million (these projects may run for up to three years.) In addition, in 1999-2000 £6.2 million (21%) of the general funding allocated to the NHS in Scotland for research was used in support of cancer studies, and £0.5 million was made available for capital equipment items to support research on cancer.

  Details of all Scottish Executive-funded studies are available from the National Research Register, a copy of which is in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

  In addition to its own research programme, the Scottish Executive Health Department collaborates with other UK Health Departments and the Medical Research Council (MRC) to develop and maintain an effective partnership for the promotion, funding and management of UK medical research. The MRC is the main agency through which the UK Government supports biomedical and clinical research and it is estimated to spend around £28.5 million per year directly on research into cancer. The results of the cancer projects undertaken throughout the UK will inform the future direction of research and treatment of this disease.

  The MRC also funds a large body of basic research including the study of molecules and cells, genetics, and injections and immunity, which will underpin advances in cancer research as well as other diseases.

Planning

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports are awaited from public local inquiries into planning matters.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Two reports are awaited. In both cases the public local inquiry concluded on 24 October 2000.

Planning

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports from public local inquiries into planning matters are awaiting a ministerial decision.

Mr Sam Galbraith: One case currently awaits ministerial decision. This relates to a proposal for a golf course and holiday home development on the Rowallan Castle estate in East Ayrshire.

Planning

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports from public local inquiries are outstanding by more than (a) three months, (b) six months, (c) nine months and (d) one year.

Mr Sam Galbraith: None.

Planning

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets are set for Reporters in relation to completing reports into local planning matters.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Given the scale and complexity of the issues that can be raised, there are no set targets for Reporters completing reports.

Rail Safety

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions or representations it has held with or made to Her Majesty’s Government in (a) the last six months and (b) the last two months about Railtrack in Scotland and the issue of rail safety and their safety record; when they were held or made, and whether it will provide details.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, including railway safety.

Rail Safety

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Railtrack has made it aware of the locations of any rail track breakage and cracks in Scotland over the past two years; what measures they have taken to upgrade defective areas of track, and whether it will make any information available on this issue in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sarah Boyack: Railway safety is a reserved matter. Safety systems and their application are monitored by the Health and Safety Executive as a condition of Railtrack’s Railway Safety Case. The Health and Safety Executive publishes an annual report on the state of the railways which includes information on broken rails.

  I have asked the Health and Safety Executive to supply the Scottish Parliament Information Centre with the latest and previous annual reports.

Rail Safety

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government on whether Railtrack in Scotland has invested the required level of resources to deal with matters of line and signal safety since 1999 and whether it is satisfied that future investment on safety matters is at the required level.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, including railway safety.

Rail Safety

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with Her Majesty’s Government about Railtrack’s method of inspection and repair of rail track in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, including the state of the railway infrastructure.

Recycling

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has made to date on developing guidance on targets for household waste recycling and whether the guidance will be completed by the end of the year.

Mr Sam Galbraith: In the National Waste Strategy: Scotland , the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) undertook to give guidance on targets for household waste recycling.

  SEPA has established a joint working group with the Scottish Executive and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to contribute to the development of the guidance.

  SEPA will evaluate a range of possible recycling targets for each of the eleven Waste Strategy Areas set up under the National Waste Strategy. The results of this work will help each Waste Strategy Area Group to identify the optimum level of recycling for its area.

  I have been advised by SEPA that I can expect guidance to be available in early 2001.

Student Finance

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its final decisions are on the proposals set out in Scotland , the Learning Nation - Helping Students .

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Executive’s spending plans for the next three years include additional funding each year for the support of students in higher and further education, rising to £50 million extra in 2003-04. I am today pleased to announce the detail of how we intend to make use of those additional resources for those students studying in higher education. I have arranged for the Scottish Parliament Information Centre to receive detailed information on the new package.

  From 2001-02, we intend to introduce for young Scottish students studying in Scotland a package of bursaries and additional loans targeted at those from low incomes, as set out in the consultation document. We also intend to introduce the new Mature Students’ Bursary Fund. We expect that up to 45% of students may benefit from a larger overall package of funding as a result of these measures. We also intend to take forward the proposal to target better the availability of loan support, by reducing the minimum loan available to higher income families.

  We have reviewed the higher education means test. We will increase by more than 12% the threshold below which all income is disregarded. This will help thousands of low and middle-income families, by taking them out of the means test altogether or reducing the contribution they are expected to make. We will double the reduction in the contribution disregard allowed for each dependant child still at home to £150. A further change will raise from £1,025 to £4,000 the income students receive from scholarships which will be disregarded. A range of other measures will modernise, simplify and promote greater alignment with the arrangements for further education students. We intend to consult on possible further changes for 2002-03 onwards.

  I am also delighted to announce a new Schools Meals Grant, payable in respect of the children of those higher education students who are in receipt of the Dependant’s Grant from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland. This new grant will be of particular help to students entering higher education after being in receipt of benefits, but will be available to all low income students with children. It will be worth between £245 and £265 per child.

  We will also give further consideration to the provision of additional support for Scottish students studying elsewhere in the UK, with a view to consulting on a package for introduction in 2002-03. From next year, raising the income threshold for the means test will exempt more of these students from paying means-tested fees to their host institution.

  I will be making a further announcement at a later date on improvements to further education support from 2001 onwards, with a view to promoting greater alignment between the two systems.

Transport

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions exist within the Rural Transport Fund to maintain the quality of new and improved transport services which have received funding in the past and now face a funding shortfall.

Sarah Boyack: In this current year the amount of grant awarded to local authorities for rural public passenger transport services was increased by 6% above the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 grant levels to allow for increased costs in maintaining the new or improved services which were introduced.

  It is for local authorities and the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority to decide how much to allocate to particular services from their Rural Transport Fund grant, monitor those services and make any changes they consider necessary.

Transport

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bus services which have received support through the Rural Transport Fund since its inception have subsequently been withdrawn.

Sarah Boyack: During the course of 1999-2000, 33 of the new or improved rural public passenger transport services receiving support through the Rural Transport Fund were withdrawn due to poor patronage or the introduction of commercial journeys. At the end of March 2000 over 350 new or improved services remained in operation.